


On/Off Switch

by I_Met_A_Girl



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Domestic, Humor, Jealous Merlin, M/M, Neck Kissing, Possessive Merlin (Merlin), Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-20
Updated: 2019-08-20
Packaged: 2020-09-18 23:33:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20321353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_Met_A_Girl/pseuds/I_Met_A_Girl
Summary: There's a spot on Arthur's neck that shuts him up whenever Merlin touches it. After three incidents of this phenomenon, Merlin takes notice. He should know by now to be careful with great power and that Arthur would never accept Merlin having such a hold on him.





	On/Off Switch

**Author's Note:**

> I usually never finish stories and then delete them weighed by guilt forever after. Solution? Write a one shot! This is kind of a 5+1, but it's a 3+1. This is also the first time I've written anything steamier than a Disney kiss without repulsing myself and wanting to throw my whole me away. Good luck.

1 

When Merlin was brainwashed, his hostility towards Gwen was uncharacteristic and clear. "You'll be drawing his bathwater next," he gritted out in a tone that anyone not informed of the situation would call jealous contempt. However it came off, this reaction actually came from a frustration of not being able to poison Arthur and not jealous contempt.

Merlin's real jealous contempt comes out far more subdued and passive-aggressive. 

With a tight smile, he looks at his two best friends by Arthur's dresser. Arthur is hovering far too close for comfort, and Merlin would know, because usually he would be the one picking out an outfit for the massive ass. And! If this were normal morning behavior, Arthur would be bossing Gwen around and telling her to get this or that or one color scheme or another. And maybe throw things at her if she hesitated. Ok now that he probably wouldn't do to Gwen, and Gwen might be better at getting clothes right the first time regardless, but it's the principle. 

Merlin's grin widens (It's worth noting that this smile is the type that if you saw your mother direct to you, you know you done fucked up) and he makes himself known. "Morning, guys!" 

The two turn in surprise. Apparently they were so in the moment they hadn't noticed Merlin at the door. _How sweet._ "Oh…" Gwen starts lamely. She looks slightly guilty; Arthur only looks embarrased and maybe a bit annoyed. 

"How sweet," Merlin says, striding over to them. "Sorry for interrupting. It's just great to see my two best friends in the world becoming best friends as well. I couldn't help but say something." He gives Gwen a pointed look and edges in till he's halfway between them. He chuckles. "Still, you don't have to do Arthur's chores just to hang out with him." He slings an arm around Arthur's shoulders and and gives a little squeeze. "Right, Arthur?" 

Now Arthur is glaring at Merlin just the same, which Merlin returns with that dark, ominous smile once again. He turns back to Gwen, who was smartly taken a few steps back. "Right. You have your own burdens, Gwen. This one is Mine." 

"_Merl _-" 

Arthur was about to put a stop to this and move out of Merlin's grip, but something about the scrape of Merlin's thumbnail on his neck told him right now is a very good time to shut up. 

Gwen's eyes widen a bit, that reaction somehow significant to her. She slowly retreats, stuttering apologies she didn't know how to finish and excuses about Morgana and speedwalking down the hall. Since when was Merlin of all people so scary? 

And then the day continues as usual. Not only does Arthur not punish Merlin, not only does he not scold his servant and demand an explanation, but he doesn't bring the incident up at all. He doesn't want to. He neither wants to face the awkwardness and discuss his feelings, nor does he want to even think about how Merlin was able to make him feel like the servant in the relationship in that moment. He won't question why he felt like he was the one taking orders. He won't dwell on any possibility that he might be intimidated by a scrawny, whimpering moron.

2 

You couldn't blame either of them for not making the connection the second time either, all things considered. This time the only parental comparison that could be made is when your mom can't wake you up for school, she gets your dad, which is always a bad time.

We'd passed affectionate 'lazy-daisies' about ten minutes ago. Merlin has already pulled off Arthur's blankets after a halfhearted tug-of-war, dragged the prat's ankles off the bed, taken the pillow out from under him, and still Arthur is stubbornly keeping his eyes scrunched closed and refusing to acknowledge that he is awake. 

Merlin figured he passed proper professional distance the moment he plugged Arthur's nose and threatened to get a bucket of water, so what the hell? He crosses his arms and tries to channel Giaus, Gwen, Morgana, and his mother all in one. "Arthur, if you do not get out this bed in three seconds, there will be consequences." Arthur fakes a snore. "One….Two…. two and a half… two and three quarters…." Git. "Three!" Arthur, expectedly, makes no move. "Think I'm bluffing, do you?" He crouches down.

And licks him. Merlin fucking licks him! Arthur makes a face of disgust -eyes still tightly closed- briefly before going back to a braced neutral. 

Merlin sticks his tongue in Arthur's ear. It's wet and drooly and warm and reminds Arthur of a slug. The boy's thorough, too. Arthur wants to squirm. Actually he wants to punch Merlin in the face. Both are his natural instinct, but he's too goddamn stubborn. 

Merlin continues. He holds a loogie above Arthur's cheek, licks his fucking scrunched up eyelids, practically bites the guy's nose… Arthur's resolve is bring tested, truly. He stays strong, disguises a squirm as just shifting in his sleep and uses the opportunity to better guard his face. 

Merlin licks his neck. 

Arthur's eyes shoot open in an instance, and he scrambles out of bed.

All he can say on the matter is a gumbled, "Too far," because Merlin won fair and square.

3 

The third time's the kicker. That's when Merlin starts thinking maybe there's some sort of pattern going on here.

He's getting Athur ready for a foreign dignitary whose republic is threatening to dissolve a crucial trade agreement, and his dearest pinecone of a dollophead is currently coping with his nerves by being extra snappy towards everyone. The knights, the staff, and especially his personal manservant. 

It's grating on Merlin, but he doesn't really, actually, seriously mind since he knows where the extra aggression is coming from. Also he's used to this asshole of his being a brat. It would be shocking if he weren't used to it by now. 

In the midst of some lecture Merlin wasn't listening to, he gave the king a sympathetic smile. "You'll do fine. With their economic standing, it's a boldfaced bluff. He has more to lose than you do if things go south." 

Somehow all Arthur heard of that is _if things go south._ He's both sputtering nonsense in anxiety and threatening to put Merlin in the stocks for 48 hours. All Merlin does is give him another comforting look and calmly reach over to adjust the king's formal wear. His hands lightly touch the sides and back of Arthur's neck as he straightens the shirt's collar. Fingers move down the front as he flicks a polished button, signaling nothing's loose. 

He looks up and notices that Arthur has turned silent. He looks subtle. Vulnerable. All quiet and stoic and strong and yet wordlessly pleading for reassurance. Merlin clasps the other's shoulders and speaks softly. "Like I said, you're going to do great." 

Arthur generally wasn't one for hugs, so imagine Merlin's surprise when Arthur used the zero distance between them to pull him in. "It's ok." He leans all his weight onto Arthur and lets Arthur drop his head. "It's ok." He wants to pet the other's hair and soothe him, but they just got his look right and messy hair doesn't make for a good first impression. 

Merlin did his best to stay at Arthur's side the whole day. It wasn't until he went to sleep that it hit him that Arthur became...obedient.

+1 

This morning, he is testing his hypothesis.

Arthur wakes up to Merlin sitting on the side of his bed. He's about to tell Merlin to GET OFF YOU USELESS TOAD when he feels three fingers on the side of his throat. Words dissipate before reaching his mouth, and all that comes out is a pained breath. He looks questioningly at his manservant, his best friend, as he runs his fingers up and down the column of his master's throat, looking all too fond and all too satisfied with himself to mean any good. 

Arthur discovers that in addition to speech, he also cannot move. Merlin finds Arthur's pulse, and all at once he is now totally petrified. He can't even swallow, no matter how much he feels he needs to. Now Merlin is holding the back of this neck and sliding his thumb from just behind the helpless king's ear down to the dip before his shoulder. Merlin smiles a little "hmm" at some reaction Arthur was not aware he gave and then pets behind his ear again, applying more pressure. Arthur's back seems to arch just the slightest bit against his control, and he is sure the blood is rushing to his face in anger or frustration.

Though... he does not particularly feel angry or frustrated. Confused, sure, but… Merlin does something, and his train of thought dies. He wants to curse as goosebumps go all down his arms. The hair on his neck stands up, and Merlin brushes at it with a teasing look, and Arthur feels warm. He's kind of tired. He's kind of wide awake. He's kind of dizzy and dazed. He's more focused on Merlin's words than he's ever been. Amazed, barely above a whisper: "It's an off switch."

_An off switch?_

"You go all docile whenever someone touches it…" 

_Not_ someone,_ you moron! You! You specifically! This doesn't just happen whenever. What the hell is happening in the first place? _

"I…" Both of Merlin's hands slide down his neck. 

"Wonder…" 

Arthur almost whimpers. He's sure that if he could speak he would have when Merlin's fingers tap along his collar bone. 

"Why…" 

He presses into a dip just right, and Arthur springs up into sitting position.

"Revenge," he says. 

Merlin can't even utter an "oh shit" before Arthur pulls him down on top of him. 

Arthur grips Merlin and glares, ordering him not to move. He places his fingertips at the top of Merlin's spine and walks them downwards - when at his lower back, mockingly slow - and stopping just under the other boy's waistband. He looks up at Merlin's shocked expression, shocked silent just like what he did to Arthur. "You wonder why." Arthur slips one finger in Merlin's crack. 

The boy on top of him gasps without thinking and then gives Arthur a look that says _you wouldn't_. And he's right. He wouldn't. That's too far. Instead, Arthur smirks up at him and moves to just under the waistband at Merlin's front. 

_You wouldn't. _

_I won't. _

Between their bodies, Arthur's thumbs trace along the V of Merlin's hips, resulting in a shiver Merlin could not repress. He knows it's a reminder. A statement. That if Arthur were to follow that line, he…

Merlin's elbows gave, and he is now entirely pressed against Arthur. He smirks. "You get the message?" 

Merlin's taking long, laboured breaths and exhaling heavily on Arthur's chest. "Yeah," he mumbles, and Arthur takes that to mean a surrender. "Yeah." So his eyes go extra wide when Merlin claws at Arthur's throat. 

"I get it." The boy moves with his teeth. "You have an off switch…" He grazes the other's collar bone, and Arthur chokes. "And an on switch." Fingers playing with his hair and hot breath where his chest meets his throat, Arthur does not know what to do. He forces his brain to get back online just long enough to remember his hands are still under Merlin's waistband and he can still get some leverage in this situation. 

He digs his nails into Merlin's ass and traces the same route, this time with aggressive pressure. Merlin moans. He fucking moans. And it seems the cruelest trick of all. Merlin's sucking his skin, and Arthur feels all dizzy and confused again and is having second thoughts about this revenge thing, but he certainly can't just let Merlin have this trump card over him without a fight. He makes an executive decision to go further down, even though he was sure he wouldn't. 

And then Merlin spreads his thighs. 

And Arthur realizes many points at once. "Merlin," he says in his usual authoritative voice. "If we're going to be fighting like this, lock the door." 

Merlin blinks. Then nods seriously. Then grabs the keyring off the nightstand and follows orders. In the next instant he belly flops onto Arthur with abandon, throws his arms around him for stability, and bites down on the king's neck _hard. _

Arthur does not want to think about the sound he just made. He will certainly ignore how many times he's saying Merlin's name desperately in between those sounds. He plans to selectively forget how some of what he said could be misconstude as begging for it. It is not at all noteworthy that Merlin is willing and eager and confessing how long he's wanted this as he runs out of space to put hickeys. Their first kiss totally did not happen after Arthur made a corny, princessy, declaration of love.

_~Oh, today was a mistake_ ❤

**Author's Note:**

> Yes I know there were no light switches in Camelot DONT @ ME. I'd really appreciate it if you commented anything else though. Please?


End file.
